Tag: alternative treatment

Neurofeedback has been shown to improve impulsivity, inattention, and hyperactivity, which are symptoms associated with neurofeedback.

Neurofeedback is an alternative to ADHD medicine

If you don’t want to put your child on ADHD medication, or your child doesn’t want to take ADHD medicine anymore, you’re probably wondering what your options are. On the one hand, ADHD medications are extremely helpful for your child, but maybe your child just doesn’t like how they make them feel. One option you could try is neurofeedback.

Working with your child’s pediatrician or psychiatrist is essential in making sure this process happens smoothly. They will know how to best help your child transition off or lower the dosage of the medication. Consult with your physician before making changes in your child’s medication use.

Some people find that neurofeedback helps them reduce their ADHD medication but not fully go off their meds.

The effects of neurofeedback on ADHD is long-lasting

The great thing about neurofeedback is the effects are long-lasting. In a study conducted by Vincent Monastra, founder of the FPI Attention Disorders Clinic, he found that children who received neurofeedback along with their medication were able to lower their ADHD medication doses by 50 percent.

So while the treatment will take time to complete (you need to do at least 20 to 30 sessions for it to be long-lasting effects), it can be worth it for the long-lasting effects.

What does neurofeedback do?

Neurofeedback trains your brain to help you have better attention, focus, sleep, and emotional regulation, among other things. Basically, your brain emits many types of waves, and you want them to perform in a certain way that will help you stay focused. Neurofeedback fixes things up so that you have the right amount of brainwaves in the right areas of your brain.

For people with ADHD, neurofeedback will help their brain produce the right brainwaves to help them focus better. After undergoing neurofeedback, people with ADHD can notice they’re less impulsive, distracted, and act out less.

If you want to know more about the brainwave science behind neurofeedback, check out CHADD‘s (Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) website.

What’s involved in neurofeedback?

Neurofeedback sessions take about 30 to 45 minutes each session and are usually pretty pricey. According to ADDitude magazine, most practitioners charge $2,000 to $5,000 dollars for the treatment; however, at Aspen Valley Counseling, prices are lower to make the service available for more people. At Aspen Valley Counseling, you will only pay around $1000 for your neurofeedback treatment with an option to add on a qEEG brain mapping (that will show where to pinpoint the areas of your brain in neurofeedback training) for only $550 (usually around $750).

When you or your child go to complete your neurofeedback treatment, the therapist or neurofeedback tech will put the electrodes on your skull, pinpointing areas where your brain needs training. Then you’ll either play a game or watch a movie or image. If you’re “playing” a game, you’ll be watching a screen that will reflect what’s going on with your brainwaves. If your brainwaves are moving toward behaving how you’re supposed to, you’ll do well in the game, but if they’re not, you won’t do as well in the game. This kind of feedback teaches your brain what types of brainwaves to produce.

Are there any downsides to neurofeedback?

Just like any therapy, there’s no guarantee that it will work for you if you have ADHD. Some people go completely off medication and opt to just use neurofeedback; others use a combination of ADHD medication and neurofeedback. Each case is very individual, and individuals should work closely with healthcare professionals when weighing the options.

There are many studies that support neurofeedback as a treatment for ADHD, but there are also some that don’t support it.

And the most annoying downside is that it’s also not covered by most insurance companies. But, for that reason Aspen Valley Counseling is committed to low prices for neurofeedback.

If you have any questions about neurofeedback pricing or payment plans, you can email Aspen Valley Counseling at aspenvalleycounseling@gmail.com or call the office at (801) 224-1103.